Man shot by ISP trooper was questioned for 45 minutes

A Montana man who was shot and killed by an Idaho State Police trooper last month had been questioned by law enforcement officers for 45 minutes before grabbing a handgun, starting a struggle that ended with the shooting.

Shoshone County Deputy Adam Durflinger and Trooper Todd McDevitt responded on June 12 for a welfare check at an Interstate 90 turnout just west of Lookout Pass.

An investigation by the Kootenai County sheriff's office found 26-year-old Alexander L. Mandarino of Whitefish, Mont., wouldn't give officers a solid answer as to why he was driving his roommate's car with license plates for a vehicle registered to Mandarino.

Mandarino then got in the car on the passenger's side and grabbed a gun. McDevitt shot Mandarino in the chest as Durflinger struggled with Mandarino over the weapon.